Percolator toys



Feb. 26, 1963 s. c. BUTLER EI'AL 3,078,607

PERCOLATOR TOYS Filed Aug. 29, 1960 2d a JHHIML M 3,978,607 PERCOLATGR TOYS) Stanley C. Butler, 15272 Penn Ave., San Lorenzo, Caiifi, and De Loss 1.. Marsh, 212 Revere Ave., Hayward,

Calif.

Filed Aug. 29, 196i), fier. No. 52,449 2 Claims. (Cl. til-186.22)

This invention relates to percolator toys.

One of the most common household appliances is the percolator coffeepot, which generally comprises a pot with a spout and handle, a cover or top with a transparent (usually glass) center section, an upright tube with a domed base which rests on the bottom of the pot, and a cup-shaped filter holder which rests on the tube or the pot adjacent the top of the upright tube so as to surround the tube. When the pot is filled with water to below the bottom of the filter holder and the holder is filled with ground coffee, heating the pot generates steam in the chamber defined by the bottom of the pot and the domed base of the upright tube, thereby forcing Water up and out of the top end of the tube, so that upon being discharged from the top end of the tube the water falls into the filter holder, passes through the cofifee therein, and then falls back into the bulk of water within the pot. This invention relates to toys, which are capable of effective operation as well as of amusement and education, in which percolation and bubbling eflfects similar to those of a genuine household percolator cofieepot are achieved by forcing liquid through a tube by means of compressed air rather than by the generation of steam, and in which a potable concoction may be obtained by placing various flavoring and/ or coloring materials in a filter holder.

It is well known that all people, especially children,

are attracted by and receive great amusement value from toys which realistically simulate common functioning utilitarian operations and devices. Similarly, toys which can teach children how to put together or operate common household appliances in a neat and orderly manner, while being sufficiently realistic and interesting to hold the childrens attention, are known to be popular and desirable, particularly with parents. Like all simulator training devices, they do, in a sense, have an educational value. Further, toys or devices which not only simulate functional operations, but which also actually produce pleasing or desired results in addition to amusement or educational values, are particularly desirable.

It is an object of this invention to provide safe, inexpensive, and durable devices having these amusement, educational and utilitarian values. It is a further object of this invention to provide toys which simulate the bubbling or percolating operations of household ap pliances. Another object of this invention is to provide a toy which realistically simulates the appearance and operation of a common percolator cotleepot without the application of heat or boiling, and which is also capable of preparing and producing flavored and/or colored drinks. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the remainder of this description, including the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a toy device according to the invention;

P16. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 4--4 of FIG. 1.

In all figures of the drawings like numerals are used to designate like parts where convenient for purposes 3,078,607 Patented Feb. 26, 3

of illustration and explanation. The accompanying drawings are not to be taken as limiting this invention; those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will realize that these drawings are intended to illustrate the nature of the invention and to designate clearly a preferred embodiment of the invention. Obviously the dimensions and relative sizes of the various parts of the construction shown can be changed to adapt the invention for different uses and conditions.

As an aid to understanding the invention it may be stated in summary form that it concerns toy percolator devices comprising a container capable of being filled to a desired level with liquid, conduit means for conveying air into the interior of the container which are adapted to prevent back-flow and which terminate at a point within the interior of the container below the desired level of liquid, tube means for directing a flow of air and liquid upwardly within the container and having a base adapted to be open to the flow of liquid within the container below the desired level of liquid when the container is filled with liquid and further adapted to receive a flow of air from the conduit means so as to mix it with the liquid, all so that the mixture is forced upwardly through the tube means which terminate at a point above the desired level of liquid in the container, and means for forcing air through the conduit means into the interior of the container adjacent thebase of the tube means. The invention is also summarized in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 illustrates a toy percolator device 10 which includes an open-topped pot or container .12 formed by side wall 14 and bottom wall 16. The removable lid 18 is formed with horizontal flange 20 and vertical flange 22 around its outer edge so as to generally conform to the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the container 12, so that the lid 18 may, as shown in FIG. 1, be supported by the top edge of the side wall 14. The lid 18 may be formed so as to fit very loosely over side wall 14, so that it is held against undesired dislodging by bubbling impact of water from below by gravity alone; or alternatively flanges 20 and 22 may be formed to conform closely to the cross-sectional shape of side wall 14 so as to provide a tight fit which further secures the lid 18 against such dislodgement. Also, other means for covering or closing the open top of the container 12, such as hinged lids, or caps may be used in place of the lid 18.

The lid 18 is desirably formed with the domed shape illustrated in FIG. 1, and includes transparent top wall section or member 24, joined to lid 18 around the center of the complete lid 18. The lid 18 and the container 12 may be formed of metal, plastics, glass or other material; the transparent top wall member 24 of the lid 18 is formed of glass or transparent plastic, although alternatively the entire lid 18 may be formed of such transparent materials, as may the container 12 and almost all the remaining structure of the device it). The transparent top wall member 24, if not an integral part of the lid 18, may be either fixedly or removably joined to the remainder of the lid 13 by conventional joint means 26.

A spout or means 23 for pouring liquid out of the container 12 is preferably formed in side wall 14. The complete toy device ltl also desirably includes hollow handle means 30 for holding the toy device 10, mounted at its upper end 31 on the exterior of side wall 14 and at its lower end 33 on the exterior of base wall 32. Base wall 32, which may comprise an extension of side wall 14, is mounted on container 12 so as to be capable of supporting the container 12 and so as to enclose an openbottomed base section or housing 34 formed by bottom wall 16 of container 12 and base wall 32. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, base housing 34 is formed with a generally rectangular horizontal cross-section. Base wall 32 is formed with periodic recessed portions 36 along its bottom edge, so that when the container 12 is resting on a fiat surface the open bottom of the base housing 34 communicates with the outside atmosphere through the spaces provided by the recessed portions 36. A generally vertical retainer wall 38 is mounted on base wall 32 so as to divide base housing 34 into two sections and so as to aid in retaining a power source, such as a common flashlight electric battery 40, in one portion of the base housing 34. The battery 40, which in assembly of the complete toy device It} may be inserted through the open bottom of the base housing 34, is resiliently held in place by pressure between its contact point 42 and the resilient electrically-conductive member 44, which is mounted on base wall 32 and operatively connected with conventional circuit means 46, and by pressure between the base 43 of the battery 40 and the resiliently-mounted electrically-conductive lug 50 which is also operatively connected to conventional circuit means 46. Drive means, such as the electric motor 52 which is capable of being operated by the battery 46, are mounted on base wall 32 in the other portion or" the base housing 34 defined by retainer wall 38. Electric motor 52 is operatively connected with battery 40, by the conventional circuit means 46 via the switch means 54 which are capable of interrupting the circuit between the battery 40 and the electric motor 52, so that the motor 52 may be driven or stopped by movement of controlling switch member 56, which is a part of switch means 54 which extends outside base housing 34, through aperture 57 in base wall 32. Means for pumping air, such as rotary vane compressor 58, are also mounted on base wall 32 in the other portion of the base housing 34 defined by retainer wall 38 adjacent the lower end 33 of handle means 30. Compressor 58 is operatively connected to electric motor 52 by coupling means 60, so as to be capable of being driven by electric motor 52.

The rotary vane compressor 58 draws in air from outside the base housing 34 through the spaces defined by the recessed portions 36 in the bottom edge of base Wall 32. The air is discharged through outlet port 62 of rotary vane compressor 58. The outlet port 62 is operatively connected to duct or conduit means 64 for conveying air from the compressor 58 into the interior of the container 12. In the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawings, duct means 64 comprise, in effect, a continuous conduit which extends through an aperture 66 in base wall 32 adjacent outlet port 62 into the hollow interior of the lower end 33 of handle means 30, through the hollow interior of the remainder of handle means 30, thence through an aperture 68 formed in side wall 14 adjacent the upper end 31 of handle means 3%? and thence through the piping member 70 into communication with the interior of container 12. The piping member 70, which is generally U-shaped and includes a long leg 72, a short leg 74 and a base 76, is mounted on the interior side of side wall 14 and the interior side of bottom wall 16 of the container 12. The long leg 72 of member 70, which is generally shaped in horizontal cross-section as a section of a circle, is mounted on side wall 14 with its top edge 78 adjacent the top edge of the aperture 68 formed in the side wall 14. The top edge 78 of leg 72 of member 70 is formed bent over so as to enclose the upper portion of the aperture 68. The long leg 72 of member 70 is continuously joined to side wall 14 along its edges so as to form, with side wall 14, a pipe or conduit communicating with the hollow interior of the handle 30. The base 76 of the member 70 is similarly formed with arcuate cross-section and joined along its two edges to the bottom wall 16 of the container 12 so as to form a further section of conduit or pipe communicating with the conduit formed by the long leg 72 .of member 70. The short leg 74 of member 70, which is generally circular in cross section, extends upwardly from the center of bottom wall 16 of the container 12;

at the juncture of the short leg 74 and the base 76 of member 70, the edges of short leg 74 and base 76 are joined to the bottom wall 16 so as to form a continuously enclosed pipe or conduit with free communication between the interior of the conduit or pipe formed by short leg '74 and the space enclosed by the base 76 and the bottom wall 16. The open top or end 89 of the short leg 74, which is also the open top or end 60 of the complete conduit means 64 of which short leg 74 forms a part, is located well beneath the desired level (indicated at 82) to which the container 12 may be filled with liquid.

The tube member 84 provides a means for directing upwardly a flow of air and liquid within the container 12. Tube member 84 includes a domed or bell-shaped base or bottom portion 86, of larger diameter than the upper tube portion 88 of tube member 34, which is adapted to fit over and largely enclose short leg 74 of member 70, forming in eifect a mixing chamber above and around the end 89 of the conduit means 64. The bottom edge of the base portion 86 rests on top of the base 76 of member 70 and on top of the three lugs 92 mounted on and extending upwardly from the bottom Wall 16 of the container 12, so that when the container 12 is filled with liquid the liquid may flow through the spaces between the lugs 92 and the base 76 into the interior of the tube member 84. The tube member 84 is formed of such dimensions that when its base portion 86 rests on the lugs 92 and on the base 76, the open top end 94 of tube member 84 is located at or near the level of the top of the container 12 and beneath the lid 18. Tube member 84 may be fixedly attached to lugs 92 or base 76, but in the preferred embodiment it is removable and simply adapted to rest on lugs 92 and base 76.

The cup-shaped filter holder 96, formed with perforations 98 extending through its central portion, is mounted around the upper tube portion 88 of the tube member 84 so that tube member 84 extends through the central portion of filter holder 96 and so that the bottom of the filter holder 96 is above the desired level of liquid indicated at 82 and below the top of the container 12. Filter holder 96 may be mounted around upper tube portion 88 either fixedly, as in the preferred embodiment shown, or removably as by forming a flange on the exterior of upper tube portion 88 upon which the filter holder 96 may rest. Alternatively, the filter holder 96 may rest upon or be attached to the side wall 14 of the container 12.

In operation of the invention, the container 12 may be filled with liquid, such as water, milk, fruit juice, etc., to the desired level indicated at 82. Flavoring and/or coloring additive materials, such as water-soluble chocolate, cocoa, dehydrated milk, and various proprietary preperations for flavoring or coloring, etc., may be placed in the filter holder 96. The tube member 34 and the filter holder 96 may then be inserted through the open top of the container 12 so as to fit over the top end of the conduit means 64, and the lid 18 placed over the top edges of side wall 14 so as to close or cover the container 12. In this condition, the liquid flows through the spaces between the lugs 92 into the interior of the tube member 84 up to the level of liquid within the container 12. The liquid also flows through the open top end of the conduit means 64 and fills short leg 74 of member 70, base 76 of member 70 and long leg 72 of member 70 to the level of liquid within the container. However, since the conduit means 64 communicate with the rotary compressor 56 only through the interior of the handle 30, which at its top end 31 is above the level of liquid within the container 12, no back-flow of liquid into the compressor 58 occurs. Other means for preventing back-flow, such as check valves, are not preferred. When the switch member 5'6 is moved so that switch means 54 complete the circuit between battery 49 and electric motor 52, the electric motor 52 operates and drives the compressor 58, thereby forcing air through outlet port 62 and conduit means 64. This forces the liquid in conduit means 64 into the mixing chamber 90 formed by the domed base portion 86 of tube member 84. As the liquid is forced out the top end 80 of the conduit means 64 some will escape downwardly through the base portion 86 of the tube member 84 and out between the lugs 92, but because of its direction of flow and the shape of the base portion 86, the bulk of it will be forced up the upper tube portion 83 of tube member 84. After all the water has been forced out of conduit means 64, the air forced out the top end 80 of conduit means 64 will constantly mix with water forced by hydrostatic pressure into the mixing chamber 90 and in a bubbling action the mixed air and water will be forced up the tube member 8 1 and will bubble out the open top end 94 of tube member 84 in an action very similar in appearance to the percolating of a common household coffeepot. The water bubbling out the top end 94 of tube member 84 then falls down into the filter holder 96, where it mixes with and drains through the flavoring and/or coloring additive materials in the filter holder 96, and then passes through the perforations 98 in the filter holder Q6 and falls back into the main body of liquid within the container 12. No heating or boiling is necessary to achieve this operation, although of course preheated liquid may be used in operation of the invention, or ice cubes placed in the filter holder 96 or the main body of liquid within the container to obtain hot or cold drinks. Other heating or cooling means associated with the toy device it) are not preferred.

in this way a potable concoction may be prepared, giving children or other operators of the toy device 10 the pleasure of preparing a usable product as well as the amusement of watching operation of the device it and in the case of children, giving them training in assembling and operating the unit. The bubbling or ercolating effect can, of course, be achieved without any use of additive materials in the filter holder. Similarly, although the desired level of liquid is indicated at 82, the toy device 10 will operate so long as the level of liquid is above the top end 80 of the conduit means 64 or the mixing chamber 90, and below the spout or pouring means 28 and the highest point of the conduit means 64.

In view of our invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art to obtain part or all of the benefits of our invention, including its safety, economy and durability, without copying the construction shown, and we, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. A percolator toy comprising:

a container having an open top and capable of being filled to a desired level with liquid;

conduit means for conveying air into the interior of said container, said conduit means leading from outside said container through a point above the desired level of liquid within said container and ending at a point within the interior of said container below said desired level of liquid, said conduit means in cluding a hollow handle member rigidly afiixed to the exterior side of said container; tube means for directing a flow of air .and liquid within said container, said tube means having a top and having a base portion adapted to substantially enclose the end of said conduit means within the interior of said container, said tube means being adapted to be mounted within said container so that the top end of said tube means is above said desired level of liquid when said base portion of said tube means substantially encloses said end of said conduit means, said base portion being formed so as to permit the flow of liquid from the interior of said container into said tube means when said tube means is so mounted; means for pumping air operatively connected to said conduit means so as to be capable of forcing air into the interior of said container through said conduit means, so that air so pumped is capable of forcing a flow of air and liquid up through said tube means to discharge from said top end of said tube means; filter means mounted around the exterior of said tube means for holding additive materials above said desired level of liquid and below said top end of said tube means, so that liquid discharged from said top end of said tube means may pass through said additive materials and through said filter means and fall into the liquid at said desired level of liquid;

spout means formed in said container for pouring liquid out of said container, said spout means being located above said desired level of liquid; and

means for covering the open top of said container, said covering means including a transparent top wall member.

2. A percolator toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said conduit means include an elongated arcuate piping member attached to the interior side of said container so as to enclose a space communicating at one end with the interior of said hollow handle member, said piping member including at the other end thereof a cylindrical leg extending upwardly from the center of the bottom of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,080,340 Heissenbuttel Dec. 2, 1913 1,306,688 Downham June 17, 1919 2,675,641 Baggott Apr. 20, 1954 

1. A PERCOLATOR TOY COMPRISING: A CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND CAPABLE OF BEING FILLED TO A DESIRED LEVEL WITH LIQUID; CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONVEYING AIR INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID CONDUIT MEANS LEADING FROM OUTSIDE SAID CONTAINER THROUGH A POINT ABOVE THE DESIRED LEVEL OF LIQUID WITHIN SAID CONTAINER AND ENDING AT A POINT WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER BELOW SAID DESIRED LEVEL OF LIQUID, SAID CONDUIT MEANS INCLUDING A HOLLOW HANDLE MEMBER RIGIDLY AFFIXED TO THE EXTERIOR SIDE OF SAID CONTAINER; TUBE MEANS FOR DIRECTING A FLOW OF AIR AND LIQUID WITHIN SAID CONTAINER, SAID TUBE MEANS HAVING A TOP AND HAVING A BASE PORTION ADAPTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSE THE END OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID TUBE MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER SO THAT THE TOP END OF SAID TUBE MEANS IS ABOVE SAID DESIRED LEVEL OF LIQUID WHEN SAID BASE PORTION OF SAID TUBE MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSES SAID END OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS, SAID BASE PORTION BEING FORMED SO AS TO PERMIT THE FLOW OF LIQUID FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER INTO SAID TUBE MEANS WHEN SAID TUBE MEANS IS SO MOUNTED; MEANS FOR PUMPING AIR OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CONDUIT MEANS SO AS TO BE CAPABLE OF FORCING AIR INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID CONDUIT MEANS, SO THAT AIR SO PUMPED IS CAPABLE OF FORCING A FLOW OF AIR AND LIQUID UP THROUGH SAID TUBE MEANS TO DISCHARGE FROM SAID TOP END OF SAID TUBE MEANS; FILTER MEANS MOUNTED AROUND THE EXTERIOR OF SAID TUBE MEANS FOR HOLDING ADDITIVE MATERIALS ABOVE SAID DESIRED LEVEL OF LIQUID AND BELOW SAID TOP END OF SAID TUBE MEANS, SO THAT LIQUID DISCHARGED FROM SAID TOP END OF SAID TUBE MEANS MAY PASS THROUGH SAID ADDITIVE MATERIALS AND THROUGH SAID FILTER MEANS AND FALL INTO THE LIQUID AT SAID DESIRED LEVEL OF LIQUID; SPOUT MEANS FORMED IN SAID CONTAINER FOR POURING LIQUID OUT OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID SPUT MEANS BEING LOCATED ABOVE SAID DESIRED LEVEL OF LIQUID; AND MEANS FOR COVERING THE OPEN TOP OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID COVERING MEANS INCLUDING A TRANSPARENT TOP WALL MEMBER. 